Shark Week tested, but dominance continues

Shark Week (Vertical Horizon) won his sixth straight harness racing contest on Friday (Jul. 7) at Century Downs in the closest finish he’s seen in months.

As with his prior five wins, Michael Hennessey put the gelding on top. Shark Week blitzed the first quarter in :25.4 and cut middle splits of :54.3 and 1:22.2. He turned home with a length-and-a-half lead but couldn’t shake the pack, and Samba Beat (Phil Giesbrecht), Ernesto Delacruz (Jean-Francois Gagne), and Bonus Round (David Kelly) closed in. The trio made gains as they sprinted for home, but Shark Week had enough to get home in 1:50.4. Samba Beat was a step faster home than Ernesto Delacruz to take second.

SHARK WEEK REPLAY

Shark Week, who became the first horse to break 1:50 in Western Canada on Jun. 3, is now 11-for-15 this year. Rodney Hennessy trains the gelding and co-owns him with Lorne Duffield of Edmonton. The five-year-old has won 31 of his 65 lifetime appearances and has amassed $278,475 in earnings.

Century Downs will see racing again on Saturday, Jul. 8. First post will be 1:15 p.m. MDT.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink